


casual loop

by jayhood



Series: HIC time travel fix-it [2]
Category: Batman (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Batman #77 fix-it, Gen, Pennyworth RIP fix-it, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-03-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:07:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23288272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jayhood/pseuds/jayhood
Summary: In which Red Hood and Robin team up using what Flash did in Heroes in Crisis, only, you know, to actually save someone.Written for Jason Todd Week, prompt Time Travel.
Relationships: Jason Todd & Damian Wayne
Series: HIC time travel fix-it [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1671670
Comments: 3
Kudos: 66





	casual loop

“You ever thought not to do everything your father says?”

The voice ambushed him. Damian had expected to be caught, but not so soon after going over the Gotham’s border, and not by him.

“Hood. I thought you to be quite busy brainwashing kids to come to help your 'family'.”

Hood scoffed. “Most of the kids I train are way older than you, except Babe in Arms. If anyone doing any brainwashing, it’s probably her. I’m not really doing anything with them, really, except look out they don’t get too traumatized before reaching majority. You know, like someone should have done for us.”

“Us? There’s no us, Hood. Anything you have experienced was your own doing. You just like to shift the blame to others.”

Damian struggled with the trap but couldn’t reach his knife. Hood planned it specifically for him. Did that mean he was working with Bane? Did Bane know about his father’s plan?

He asked about it, sneering.

“Ouch,” Hood said, clasping his hand to his chest. “And here I thought you at least try to keep an open mind about me. Seeing how you thought I sold you out, and I didn’t. Then you thought I am the Leviathan when it turned out, I am not.”

He shrugged.

“Oh well, fortunately for you, I don’t care what do you think. When I heard what happened, I was so mad. I kinda wanted to strangle you a little. You, coming here, alone, trying to play Bane and that another lunatic who calls himself your Grandfather. You know they keep Alfred hostage? Of course, you don’t. Batman says jump, Robin asks how high, not about where he’s going to land. So, when I got over it, I thought, here I am, looking out for kids that I met six months ago, and here’s a small angry child I should have kidnapped when I saw him the first time. I should do something! So here I am, doing something. I’m here to save  _ you _ from unnecessary trauma. Here how it is going to go…”

***

Hood’s plan worked to some extent. But Damian still had nightmares. He saw the face of Pennyworth every time he closed his eyes. His expression just before his neck got broken. His lifeless body after.

He kept thinking about it. He wasn’t traumatized by any means! His psyche was stronger than Hood’s, it would take more than watching his family member die to break it. Yet, the image haunted him. So - so much for Hood’s self-proclaimed desire to help him.

The day of the memorial service came. Hood was truly an actor of great talent, so Damian didn’t feel bad about never trusting him. He lied so successfully! It was as though he really blamed Damian for being the reason of Pennyworth’s demise. It stung, a little, because deep down he was deeply aware of how close he came to that. But what bothered him even more - neither father nor Barbara tried to explain the circumstances. Perhaps, they thought Hood didn’t deserve an explanation. But maybe it was because  _ Damian _ didn’t deserve it.

It made him think about other things for a change.

After the service, he came up to Hood, who was staring at the family portrait.

“Lovely picture,” Hood said, looking as it was anything but.

Damian didn’t have the patience for his usual bullshit.

“You wanted to kidnap me when you first saw me. To  _ save _ me,” he said. “But you shot at me instead.”

Hood looked at him from behind his atrocious glasses.

“Yeah, I did. But when I shot at you,” Hood paused, and Damian finished the sentence in his head _ , I wasn’t in the right mind _ . Because with Hood, it was always excuses. But then Hood continued, “It wasn’t the first time I saw you. That was a little after I got shoved into the Pit, I think. After the second or third teacher I killed, and I came back to Talia for a new recommendation. You were a toddler back then. Talia didn’t like me spending time with you, not that I blame her. So it’s no wonder you don’t remember.”

Hood cleared his throat and looked away, busying himself with clearing his glasses. He froze, suddenly.

“Wait, how did you know?”

Damian frowned.

“You told me, just before,” Damian lowered his voice, “just before you and Devour switched Pennyworth for a clone.”

Hood hmmed.

“Make sense. Veritas for clones, Devour for teleportation. Did I have anyone else with me?”

“If you count your  _ toy _ ,” Damian sneered.

Hood didn’t look embarrassed at all, more excited.

“Pup Pup?”

“Of course you named it, too.”

Hood smiled. “My friend did. Or he named himself, I don’t really remember. Nevermind. Thanks,” Hood moved to the exit. He stopped and turned back to Damian for a second. “Also, if you ever decide you want to be kidnapped by me? There’s a spot on Generation Outlaw roster.”

“I have a team,” Damian said.

But he will think about it.


End file.
